Udon Thani City Pillar Shrine—Udon Thani City, Thailand - Buddhist Temples and Public Shrines on Waymarking.com

A Lak Mueang or City Pillar Shrine (as it is known in English) is a Thai public shrine, which is or represents the tutelary diety of each province of the Kingdom. Essentially, the shrine represents "good luck" and acts as a guardian for the good fortune of the region. The shrine consists of a central pillar, which is housed in a enclosing structure. This structure usually reflects the historical and cultural background of the province.

Each Shrine has great religious, social, and political importance, and are held in high regard by the local inhabitants. Before each shrine is a "prayer area", where locals and visitors can come by and make an offering to the shrine, ask for assistance, and ask for good fortune in their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Most Thai provinces have an official Shrine, and some districts within a province have their own, smaller shrine.

There are several different styles of lak mueang, however, they are normally located close to the centre of their city, the provincial capital, usually in or near the governmental precinct. There is a belief that the height of the pillar was the height of the founder of the city, and its diameter a multiple of his fist size. Some shrines contain historical records of the town, region, or the shrine itself.


The Shrine for the city of Udon lies in the city centre, surrounded by numerous government departments and offices. It is clearly of recent construction, set in a wide and spacious open, grassed area. In design the shrine is in the Thai style—square shaped, colourful, with a high, curving, peaked roof. There are two pillars inside the shrine, rare, but far from unprecedented. The two pillars are both enclosed in a transparent tube. I suspect that these pillars are of some posterity, and are being protected from the elements. There are several other cultural and religious sites nearby.

During my visit there was a ceremony underway, as such I did not enter the Shrine.

Open to visitors?: Yes Statue of the Buddha present?: Yes Photography Permitted Inside?: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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Photos of the shrine are strongly encouraged when permitted otherwise please refrain from taking pictures inside and in any case, generally have respect for the religious nature of the site.

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